The blog will offer purely objective and candid analyses for a better understanding of the events that keep happening and that provide dynamism and direction to the flow of the history and development of the human societies. Being a forum, the comments and opinions from readers whether for or against the views expressed in it, are gratefully welcome. Suggestions for improving the blog are welcome.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Obama’s Thumping Victory for the Second Term

November 7, 2012

By Saeed Qureshi

President Obama has made history by
winning the second term as the African-American president. His re-election as the
president of the United States offers an eloquent and incontrovertible
testimony to the magnificent democratic culture that this great country
nurtures. There were colliding claims and divergent conjectures by the
respective contenders and their supporters about the ensured success of their
party.

But obviously it is only one
candidate that comes on top and wins the laurels. That is President Barack
Obama who scored a stunning victory that would enable him to continue his
agenda of rehabilitating United States. His paramount priority by all reckoning
would be to rekindle the smoldering economy and put new vitality and strength
into it. That is the most outstanding pledge that he has held out to the
Americans and which he must fulfill.

If economy is revitalized, the
country would move forward in diverse disciplines. A healthy and robust economy
would animate auto industry. It would be instrumental in creation of jobs,
stabilizing the shaky social security system, modernizing the stagnant and
funds-starved education system, providing affordable healthcare, bolstering the
stalled research work and creating modern infrastructure like highways and bridges.

In a divided Congress whose two
horns are caught by two ideologically hostile parties, the fulfillment of president
Obama’s ambitious agenda for turning a new leaf and bringing back the economic
grandeur and refurbishing the bruised image of America as a war monger may look
a tall order.

The United States’ most urgent priority is to re-calibrate its
external and internal rudder to maintain its stature of the world leader both
economically and militarily albeit through goodwill and peaceful means. Besides,
he has to reduce the deficit, reform the tax code, and lessen dependence on imported
oil and streamline the messy immigration system.

The marvelous acceptance speech of
the triumphant president provides a clue to what could be his vision with
regard to a new world order under the American aegis. It surmises from his
address that he intends to lessen American involvement in wars and military
conflicts around the world. That is a spectacular and long overdue call, finally
echoed by a president who has come to the stark realization that it was time to
make this war afflicted planet an abode of peace and global fraternity.

While America’s military would
remain supreme and second to none, it would be employed sparingly, needed to
disengage the combatants or to restore peace in hot spots. Henceforth,
hopefully, the American military might not be marshaled as an instrument of
fomenting or promoting the ideological or colonial wars. In the backdrop of counterproductive
military invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States may desist from sending
its forces for mere adventures or to flex its military muscle or to fix the
rogue states.

Perhaps the time is up for America to
annihilate and invade the countries that would not be in the American camp or that
would be aloof in serving the American interests in distant lands. For America
and for the new pacifist president it is
time to win the hearts and minds of the international community even ideological foes as socialism or communism.

The world in moving into a tough
competition focused on the technological breakthroughs and economic advancements.
For that laudable end, domestic and international peaceful environment and cordiality
is indispensable. The other compelling factor that would impel America to wind
up its military maneuvers and stationing of forces aboard is its all time high
debt of 16 trillion dollars. This staggering debt would take half a century to
be wiped off or curtained. Ironically America as the monarch of the capitalist
world happens to be the most indebted nation.

These are daunting challenges and gubernatorial
thorny issues within America that need a
break from the military spending and instead boosting of economy so that the American
people can be saved from falling into
poverty spiral. A sagacious approach and bold new vision is imperative to maintain
the social safety nets and benefits that help people to put food on the table,
get medical care when sick, less expensive gas for their automobiles and afford
education to the highest level.

American people are used to nor
would accept the austerity measures that have been lately introduced in
countries with dwindling economies. One can witness an economic tsunami overtaking
the western countries notably France, Spain, Italy, Greece and swallowing their
economic potential and viability as social welfare societies.

If the economic Magna-Carta of reforms
is not unfurled in United States by concurrently keeping the present level of social
comforts, this country would too come under the crunch of an economic stagnation
and lowering quality of life. That would
be bleak trend for country that has been maintaining its lead in prosperity, economic
ascendancy and supremacy in military power

America has lost countless soldiers
in military conflicts starting from the WWII to the present rife in
Afghanistan. The number of veterans including the disabled has reached 29
million. Eradication or bracing against the global terrorism should not be only
American problem. It has assumed global proportions and therefore becomes the
collective responsibility of the international community to be dealt with. Invasion
and occupation of countries accused of hosting terrorist bands has proved to be
immensely flawed.

Starting an economic war with China
that has been one of the outstanding trade partners of the United States abruptly,
would be harmful. It would lead to collateral damage at least till such time
that a network of local small and medium sized industries is created within
America. The Chinese cheap goods especially one dollar items flooding the
American markets cannot be blocked so soon.

If there is no replacement of the
inexpensive merchandise from China, there would be a vacuum domestically. The people
will have to buy local products that would be several times more expensive.
China is incidentally the biggest lender to United States and any knee jerk reactions
would adversely boomerang.

However, curtailing or winding up of
overseas American industries or outsourcing is what the Obama administration must
take up without loss of time. Outsourcing is double edged sword. It has
deprived America of the creation of domestic jobs and investment that go abroad
and make other countries prosperous at the cost of the local industries.

Moreover, under the guise of outsourcing
incompetent and unwanted workforce is pushed into America by the outsourcing companies
and private manpower cartels, by taking graft money from most of them. This hoax
must stop and the establishment of industries in foreign lands must stop or
done with extreme caution to obviate the loss of jobs for the American at home.

The United State must not penalize
Iran by way of stringent sanctions that have disastrously affected the people
of Iran. For instance the life saving drugs are scare in Iran causing loss of
life in that country. This is a humanitarian issue and any embargo on export or
import of food items, or medicines ought not be banned by United States and the
international community. Iran is ready to talk on her controversial nuclear program
and if the talks bear fruit then the crippling sanctions must be lifted.

Any war or military action imposed
on Iran would be calamitous and may harm American friendly and protégé states. A
military action as being pushed by Israel may result also the destruction of
that beleaguered tiny state along with the destruction of Iran partially or
wholly. The saner and the wisest policy should be to resolve this issue through
peaceful means.

The winding up of wars by President
Obama is most admirable step that would gradually end the long drawn spell of
sufferings for both Iraqi and Afghan people. While the wars are coming to a
close in both these war torn countries, there is no wisdom or justification for
starting another war in the Middle East to nail down Iran.

The Arab spring that was spearheaded
by the people of the respective countries and supported and sustained by the
Western countries and more specifically by America must continue to expand further.
Gradually, the entire region of the Middle
East would be blessed with representative
and popular dispensations as in Egypt and Tunisia although still in their infancy,
The democratic culture would consolidate and take roots over a period of time
and not so soon. We must be patients and bear with the emerging patterns of liberty,
freedoms, human rights, empowerment of the people and shaping up of mutually integrated
peaceful world community

The United State bears the paramount
responsibility to make this dream come true as she possesses the necessary
resources and power to lead the humanity towards a better future, global
peace and universal prosperity. With determination and sincerity this milestone
can be achieved.

About Me

Columnist/Analyst/ Former Diplomat.
After obtaining my master’s degrees in Urdu and English literature from Punjab University, I started my career by teaching in a college. Thereafter, I had a stint in the diplomatic service of Pakistan. Finally I landed in journalism, an occupation that I am wedded to for over 20 years now.
I am a strong believer in a civil society and staunch opponent of exploitation in all forms.